The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-02
CHAPTER XVII.

A horrible district is that of the Everglades,
and yet it is superb Situated IN the southern
part of Florida, it extends right down to Cape
Sable, the extreme point of tho peninsula. and
it is simply immense marsh. The waters OF .
the flood it in wide stretches when the
storms of the Atlantic the Mexican Gulf beat
on it's shores, and mlngle with the waters from
the clouds that the winter season pours down in
cataracts. And IN consequence it is country
half iiq uid and half solid, and almost uninhabit-
able
But let it not be supposed that it is barren.
On the contrary, it is on the surface OF the
islands in the marsh that nature asserts her
rights The malaria is, so TO speak. conquered
by the perfumes of the wonderful flowers; the
islands are STEPPED in the fragrance of thousand
plants, blooming In such splendor as to justify
the peninsular's poetic name. And it is IN these
oases that the Indians take refuge, though not
for long at a time
few miles beyond the frontier of this terri
tory is the wide sheet of water known as Lake
Okee cho bee, which is just little below the
twenty -ssventh parallel. In one of the angles of
this lake lies Carneral Island, where Texar
fanc;sd he had an unknown retreat In which ne
could defy pursuit.
panions When Florida belonged to the Spani-
ards it was thther that all the white scoundrels
fed from justice. Mixing with the native popu-
lation, among whom there still were traces OF
the Carib blood, they made common cause with
the Creeks and Seminoles and nomadic Indians
who were only subdued after the long, bloody
war that ended In 1S43.
Carneral Island seemed safe from ali attack
On the eastern side it Is separated from the
mainland by narrow channel about hundred
feet across, and the only means OF conmunca-
ton was a heavy boat. To escape by swimming
was impossible, for no one would dare to enter
the shiny water which bristled with long inter
| lacing plants and swarmed with reptiles.
Beyond the cypress forest with the
| ground half under water and traversed but Dy
| narrow paths which Were by no means easy to
| trace. A cayey soil sticking to the feet ike
glue enormous trunks of fallen trees barring
| the way, and suffocating odor Of mouldiness
| were among the other obstacles to be overcome
And hare
formidable plants such the phyiaclas, ana
| millions of pezizas. gigantic mushrooms. as ex-
/ plosve as il they were charged with guncotton
/ or dynamite, going off with violent report at
| the slightest shock and filling the air with
choking cloud of sawpy spores that give the
| human skin an eruption of painful postules, SO
| that the spteful vegetables have to be avoided
| as the most dangerous animal of the teratologic
world.
| Texar's dwelling was an old Indian wigwam
| built on piles under the branches of the large
! trees in the eastern end of the island. Hidden
| amid the foliage. 1t was invisible even from the
| nearest bank. The two hounds guarded 1t with
| as much vigilance as they did the block house
| at Black Creek, and trained to the chase of men
| would tear in pieces any one attempting to APP
! prOsch the wigwam.
| Tive DAYS had passed since Zermah and little
| DIV had arrived. The journey had been easy
enough until they reached Lake Washington,
but after entering the cy press forest 1t had been
| exceedingly painful, even for the vlgor Gus men
who were used to the unhealthy climate and the
long wearisome advance through the marsh.
| imagined! But Zermah was strong, brave ana
/ devoted, and throughout the journey had carried
little by whose legs would soon have failed her;
and when she reached Carneral Island she was
| almost exhausted.
| And after what had passed when Texar and
| Souambo had dragged her from Black Creek. IS
it not wonder that she still held Quit She had
| no means of knowing that the letter she had
given 10 the young slave had fallen into James
| Burbank's hands. but she knew that he had paid
with his life for the act of devotion by which he
had attempted save her He had been sur
prised at the moment he was starting for Cam
less Bav and had been mortally wounded; and
the half-breed had said to herself that now
james Burbank would never know that the
Snaniard was going to Carneral Island, and how
could he get any clue to her whereaboutsa How.
then, could she retain the shadow OF hopel
Every chance of safety seemed to have vanished
in this region whose horrors she knew too we'll
| And no escape was possible!
| The little girl in n state OF great weak
ness: and in spite of Germans constant care, the
fatigue had made her i'll. Pale and emaciated
as if she had been poisoned by the emanations
from the marshes, she longer strong
enough to remain upright, and could with dim